Superheroes show off their skills

Fernie's young dancers rehearse and get ready to perform as superheroes in Creative Energy Arts Factory's winter production.

Join your favourite heroes, villains, and a new cast of unforgettable characters as they battle for Gotham City at Creative Energy Arts Factory’s winter production. The factory’s young singers and dancers are ready to take the stage with Superheroes: The Rise of Inferno.

With musical theatre and dance students of all ages, Creative Energy Arts Factory is known for entertaining Elk Valley audiences with their spring and winter shows. Principal Director Alana Rybar explained this year’s production will be a little different.

“This is the first show we’ve done that’s completely original,” said Rybar. “It’s set in the comic universe, so you have Batman, Robin, Joker, and Cat Woman, all those heroes, but Inferno is actually a character that my husband and I created.

“She’s a scientist that got in a little explosion, she was trying to help the heroes, and she ends up not dying in the fire, but turning into Inferno.”

Having put on more traditional dance productions in the past, like Sleeping Beauty and the Nutcracker and the Mouse King, a superhero themed show is certainly a step in a new direction for the factory.

“The kids are so engaged in it, I’m happy I picked it, and I think it resonates more than something like a Christmas Carol.”

Rybar started up Creative Arts Energy Factory in 2009 after realizing Fernie was lacking a performing arts outlet for children and teenagers. She commented, “For me, it’s more than just dance and singing lessons, it’s got that magic to it. It’s about making a fun place for the kids, creating a space where they can get creative and be themselves.”

With a variety of classes including modern dance, hip-hop, classical ballet, musical theatre, and tap, there’s something for everybody. Rybar enforces that no matter the student’s age or skill level, the most important thing is to have fun.

“It’s a challenge, because you want to make sure that the kids are always learning and progressing, but also having fun,” she said. “It’s a profession where you can be scrutinized a lot, and I never want them to feel like that, so I think that joy kind of comes through, and it helps build confidence too.”

Fernie’s very own superheroes and villains will show off their skills at two sold-out shows in Traynor Hall on December 13 and 14.